The defence of the treble is over for Bayern Munich after the Bavarian giant crashed out of the German Cup last night to Bundesliga 2 side Holstein Kiel.
The last time Bayern were knocked out the DFB Pokal at the second round was all the way back in the 2000/01 season when they succumbed to another Bundeliga 2 side in FC Magdeburg.
The defeat last night is the first real blemish in Hansi Flick’s extraordinary management of FCB since he took over from the sacked Niko Kovac at the middle of last season.
Flick took over the reigns after a sluggish start to 2019/20 with Bayern an unacceptable second in the league coming off the back of a 5-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Flick reversed the fortunes of the club in such a dramatic manner that Bayern would finish 2019/20 winning the treble for only the second time since the Bundesliga was formed sixty years ago.
But the gloss has now faded after The Reds crashed out of the cup last night to a team twenty-one places below them.
It wasn’t a game Bayern were taking lightly at a rainy Holstein-Stadion. The starting eleven against Kiel included Thomas Muller, Leroy Sane, Serge Gnabry while Robert Lewandowski was called off the bench.
Miserable January
It’s only halfway through the month and there’s still four games to go but January is proving to be as turgid for the best football club in the world as it is for everyone else.
Bayern have lost two of their first three games in January including a 3-2 thriller at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach.
Bayern have also conceded more goals in this month than any other month this season. Bayern have leaked seven in three matches in January compared to seven maximum in every other month of the season so far.
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Defensive problems
It’s clear as daylight if you look at the league that Bayern’s growing issues are stemming from defence.
Bayern have let in twenty-four goals at the midway point this season (fifteen matches) – last season they conceded a total of thirty-two.
There’s only five teams that have a worse defensive record in the league than Bayern with each of the top six having conceded less. You have to go down to Hertha Berlin in twelfth to find the first team to have conceded more.
Form, age and contracts causing disruption
Three glaring problems in Bayern’s backline stick out. The form of Niklas Sule, the age of Jérôme Boateng and David Alaba seemingly wanting away.
Sule had a nightmare against the pace of the Foals’ attack in Bayern’s last league game. The German centre-half, seen as the man to keep up the proud tradition of Bavarian defending, looked laboured against the zippy play of Jonas Hoffman and co.
Jérôme Boateng, arguably Bayern’s best defender, has been on the bench the last couple of games. At the age of 33 Boateng looks to be being saved by Flick for the business end of the season although it’s becoming clear cover is needed to sure up operations in the middle section of the campaign.
Finally David Alaba has raised uncertainty in the ranks by refusing to sign a contract extension and is said to be looking for a new challenge.
It’s not a complete disaster. Bayern are still top of Bundesliga and in the Champions League, but the next couple of league games could lay down a real marker as to whether there is already a rebuilding job needed to be commenced in Munich.
Up next for Bayern: SC Freiburg at home in matchday 16 of Bundesliga, Sunday, KO 2:30pm GMT.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 